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Palestinian militants' bodies sent to relatives

By IBRAHIM BARZAK Associated Press

Updated:
01/19/2014 02:23:33 PM EST

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip—Israel is transferring the bodies of some Palestinians killed in fighting to their families, the military said Sunday, hours after it carried out an airstrike targeting a Palestinian militant who it says fired rockets at Israel last week.

The Israeli military said it had started the "return of bodies of terrorists to their respective families in the Palestinian Authority." It did not elaborate.

Israeli media reported that 36 bodies of Palestinians killed in attacks on Israelis or in clashes with the military would be handed over.

Relatives of a man killed in fighting over a decade ago said they would be receiving his remains overnight Sunday.

Earlier, the military said it carried out an airstrike targeting a Palestinian militant in Gaza.

The military said the man targeted is a militant who fired five rockets at Israel last week. An Israeli anti-missile battery system intercepted the rockets. It said Ahmad Saad of the Islamic Jihad group was planning more attacks.

An Islamic Jihad official in Gaza confirmed Saad was targeted. He spoke anonymously because he was unauthorized to speak to the press.

A Palestinian health official said a man was in critical condition and two civilians were wounded from the Gaza strike.